Split cast cylindrical housing for suction cleaners



My E. A. FRENCH ETAL. 2,403,970

SPLIT CASE]; CYLINDRI CAL HOUSING FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed Nov. 2, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I jg] 70 7/2073 flharr/ I -ena ewye par/1% ,2} KM; WW;

Maw/5W q 1945. E. A. FRENCH ET AL 2,403,970

SPLIT CAST CYLINDRICAL HOUSING FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed Nov. 2, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 figrzfin Eduard 46220 earye am .27 5 Q/Mfi/J Jufiy K, W4. E. A. FRENCH ET AL 2,4939% SPLIT CAST CYLINDRI CAL HOUSING FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed Nov. 2, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 lufiy W E. A. FRENCH ET AL SPLIT CAST CYLINDRICAL HOUSING FOR SUCTION CLEANERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 2, 1.944

5 jig/ ar 0/5 @710 60 w w "fi Julylfi, 1946. A. FRENCH ETAVL SPLI T CAST CYLINDRICAL HOUSING FOR SUCTION CLEANERS 5 Sheets-Shet 5 Filed Noir. 2, 1944 Patented July 16, 1946 SPLIT CAST CYLINDRICAL HOUSING FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Edward A. French and George Sporney, Chicago, 111., assignors to Birtman Electric Company, a corporation of Illinois Application November 2, 1944, Serial No. 561,538

This invention relates to a suction cleaner and more particularly to a suction cleaner of the tank type in which a cast tank housing is split on a substantially central and horizontal plane to form upper and lower housing members and is provided with integrally cast transverse vertical walls which form seats for the motor of the suction cleaner.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the housing; Figure2 i a plan View thereof; Figure 3 is an end elevation thereof from one end-of th'ecleaner; Figure 4 is an end elevation of the other end of the cleaner; Figure 5a is a sectional elevation of the motor end of the housing; Figure 5b is a similar View or the other end of the housing; Figure 6 is a sectional elevation taken along the line 65 in Figure 5a; Figure '7 is a similar view taken along the linel-l in Figure 5a; Figure 8 is a similar view taken along the line 8-8 in Figure 5a; and Figure 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the lower housing member illustrating the flow of air from the fan chamber to the exhaust.

The cleaner comprises the housing 28 which is split on the horizontal plane 2| into an upper housing member 22 and a lower housing member 23. The upper housing member is provided with a, handle 2a. This handle is made up of a stud '25 which is an integral part of the casting, the handle proper 26 which is secured to the studs by any appropriate fastening and the arms 27 which are pivotally mounted on the handle proper at 28 as shown in Figure '7. The arms 2'! are an integral part of the front portion 29.0f the upper housing member. This rear portion forms a removable lid which is latched to the lower housing member 23 by any appropriate latching device 30. The lid is provided with an air inlet 3| havin an annular groove 32 adapted to engage the ordinary hose. The lid also carries a dust bag 33 having a substantially rigid neck portion 34 .provided with a flange 35 having a resilient annular gasket 36.

The lid is provided with a semi-annular grooved stud 3'! within which the flange 35 may be slid from below, when the lid has been raised. The lower edge of the flange 35 abuts when the lid is closed against the horizontal flange-39 of the lower casting, against which it is pressed by the edge 46 of the lid. It will be observed that in this manner the bag is sealed between the upper and lower housing members in airtight engagement. Furthermore, the bag is automatically removed by lifting of the lid which may be accomplished by lifting the latching member 30. The front '7 Claims. (Cl. 183-36) portion of the housing forms a dust collecting chamber M which contains the dust bag 33. Adjacent this chamber is a filter chamber 50 containing a filter 5| which may consist of a screen 52 having a cloth cover 53. This screen is carried in a semi-annular groove 54 in the lower housing member and is pressed against a semiannular plate 55 in the upper housing member by a semi-annular stud 5B which is an integral part of the rear upper housing member 29. When the lid 29 i raised, the stud 56 is also raised, thereby freeing the upper portion of the filter. The filter is flexible and may be bent sufficiently to the rear to grasp it and withdraw it from the groove 54. In order to form an airtight connection, the stud 56 is provided with a groove 5! into which the flange 58 penetrates. Immediately adjacent the flange 58 is a semi-annular groove 59 containing a gasket 68 against which the stud 56 presses to seal the filter in the upper half of the housing. The engagement with the groove 54 is sufficiently tight to seal the lower half of the filter.

Immediately to the rear of the filter chamber 50 there is a fan chamber 70. The split wall 'll between the filter chamber and the fan chamber defines one side of the fan chamber and is provided with a metal sleeve 12 which directs air from the filter chamber into the fan 13. This fan comprises sheet metal walls 74 and 15 between which are mounted a plurality of curved blades which direct the air outwardly as indicated by the arrows in Figure 5. The fan is driven by the extension 76 of the motor shaft ll. Behind the wall '75 is a secondary chamber 18 Within which are mounted a plurality of stationary blades '19 carried by the metal plate 80 which is mounted by a flange Si in the split partition wall 82. The internal edges of this wall define a circular opening within which the flange BI is fitted. A second rotary fan 99 likewise carried by the shaft extension 16 forms the third division of the fan chamber. This fan, like the first, comprises a pair of spaced parallel sheet metal Walls 9| and 92 having curved blades 93 which direct the air outwardly toward the walls of the housing. A fourth sub-compartment 94 of the fan chamber is formed by the sheet metal Wall 9| of the fan and the split partition walls 95 and 95a. These walls are provided with openings 91 and 98, as shown in Figure 6, through which the airmay pass from the fan chamber.

To the rear of the fan chamber is the motor chamber Hill which is divided into three com- 55 partments, IUI, I02 and I03 by the split partition walls I04 and Iil ia and I05 and I05a. These split walls also provide a circular seat for the field I06 of the motor I91. The compartment I03 is bounded by the walls I95 and 35a and the plit walls I08 and 38a. Walls 95 and 95a and walls I08 and I 68a each are provided with a circular central opening between them in each of which one of the bearings of the motor is mounted. These bearings, which are best shown in Figure 5a, comprise an annular-gasket I ll] mounted in a groove in the collar Ill Within the collar is a ball bearing assembly H2. Corresponding members in the 'wall I03 are indicated by Him, IIIa and H211. The entire motor and its shaft, except for the shaft 76, i carried between these two bear ings. The commutator H5 is immediately adjacent the rear bearing Il2a. The commutator brushes H6 are inserted through the openings ill in the side walls of the housing. Split bafile walls I20 and 2911 are provided immediately adjacent and behind the walls E85 and 35a to assist in directing air through the openings I25 and I22 in the walls IE8 and IGBa. The air passing out of these openings, is confined by the transverse split walls I25 and HM shown in Figure 9 and the air is thence exhausted through the louvres E38. Within the walls I25 and IZba are the longitudinal split walls I3I and l-Sia and I32 and I32a leaving openings E33 and i3 1, as shown in Figure 9 and 5c. The path of the air is, therefore, through the motor, through openings HI and H2 and then through openings HE and to central opening I25 formed between walls i215 and Iiita and thence to the louvres.

An auxiliary central opening Hill, however, is also provided at the rear of the housing. This opening is normally closed by a split gate I li which is urged into closed position by springs I42 and I43. When it is desired to operate the cleaner as a blower, the customary hose connection is inserted in the opening I49 pressing the split gate l li aside and is then extended through the opening I35, thereby cutting off access to the louvres and directing all of the exhaust air through the hose.

A rib 55b is indicated in Figure 50. supporting the wall 95a.

Suitable means for moving the housing are provided, as for example the wheels 5% which are mounted within the housing in the pockets ESI and Hit. A lug Itfiat the front end of the housing provides a slide or skid, but may, of course, be replaced by a wheel if desired. The upper and lower housing members are held together with any suitable fastening means. The preferred means comprises the bolts H0, best shown in Figures 6 and 9. These extend from openings in the bottom of the housing upwardly through the lower partition wall which are enlarged to form sleeves I72 and into threaded bosses I13 formed by enlargement of the upper partition walls. The housing is preferably cast from a light metal such as aluminum or magnesium or their alloys, but may be cast (molded) from a non-metallic substance such as a plastic.

This invention i related to that disclosed in the Charle H. Sparklin application, Serial No. 548,920, filed August 10, 1944.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a suction cleaner, a cast housing centrally and horizontally split into upper and lower housing members and subdivided longitudinally into a dust chamber at one end of the housing, a fan chamber, and a motor chamber; there being an air inlet through the housing to the dust chamber and an air outlet through the housing communicating with the motor chamber; a pair of split transverse vertical walls in the motor chamber integral with the cast housing and each of said split walls having a central opening defining a seat for a bearing of an electric motor.

2. In a suction cleaner, a cast housing centrally and horizontally split into upper and lower housing members and subdivided longitudinally into a dust chamber at one end of the housing, a fan chamber, and a motor chamber; there being an air inlet through the housing to the dust chamber and an air outlet through the housing communicating with the motor chamber; a pair of split transverse vertical walls in the motor chamber integral with the cast housing and each of said split walls having a semi-circular central opening defining a seat for a bearing of an electric motor.

3. A suction cleaner as set forth in claim 1 in which one of said integrally east split partition walls defining a seat for the motor bearings likewise defines a partition wall between the fan chamber and the motor chamber and is provided with air-directing openings therethrough.

4. A suction cleaner as set forth in claim 1 in which at least one split vertical wall is provided within the motor chamber integrally cast with the housing and having a central opening defining a seat for the field of said motor.

5. A suction cleaner as set forth in claim 1, in which a pair of split vertical walls are provided within the motor chamber integrally cast with the housing and each having a central opening defining a seat for the field of said motor.

6. A suction cleaner as set forth in claim 1, in which one side of the fan chamber is defined by a split annular fiange integrally cast with the housing and having a face defining a seat for a flexible thin filtering element vertically and transversely disposed in the housing. I

7. In a suction cleaner, a substantially cylindrical cast housing centrally and horizontally split into upper and lower housing members and subdivided longitudinally into a dust chamber at one end of the housing, a fan chamber, and a motor chamber; there being an air inlet through the housing to the dust chamber and an air outlet through the housing communicating with the motor chamber, the fan chamber and motor chamber being defined by and subdivided by a series of transverse vertical parallel walls in tegrally cast with said housing and centrally and horizontally split, a pair of said walls each defining a seat for the bearings of the suction motor, a pair of said walls defining a seat for the field of said motor, and a pair of said walls defining subdivisions of the fan chamber altering the direction of the movement of air therethrough during operation of the cleaner.

EDWARD A. FRENCH. GEORGE SPORNEY. 

